Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-30
Art Topics Ira Paris.
paris letter in Times.I


No one ever buys anything in holi-
day times except in desperation, and
then oniy bonbons, flowers, or TOYS. |
think this represents about, in its to-
tality. the average shopping list of Pa
r;sians. who universally mourn and
croan from the 18th OF December until
The same date in January. Then
longer and brighter days, and, per-
chance, their peculiar lighthearted-
ness, cause them to think of the good
times coming and forget the bitterness
Of etrCnncs 1t is for this reason that
the theatres postpone all their best en-
deavors until after the holidays, and
from the same understanding all sales
of value at the Hotel Drouot are put off.
have been looking over the list of the
coming auctions OF note, and there is no
Disgusting the fact that nowadays one
can buy bibelOts and tapestries of
warranted authenticity and without
ruin, if you can bide your time and
await opportunity. The bon mGrchc
of the tapestry hangings is sometimes
remarkable, considering the service
they do. There never has been, and
there never will be, any fashion to them,
so that almost any amount of money
invested is well expended for future
use and ornament. | mean, without
going into the highest-priced, the
rarest specimens, one can have quite
valuable collection without much
trouble, and there is nothing but
pictures which can at all compare
with them for common-sense
bargain. The singer Faure, who
is as much of an artist as a picture
huyer and tapestry-cOllector, was show
ing me few days since a piece OF an
tique lampas, which he had discovered
mt brocanteur's shop: it was of
sufficient quantity ard length to cover
the walls and ceiling of a large room,
and cost $4,000. 1t was he who gave
me precise information about one of
the wonders of the age--the famous
tryptiqre tapestry existing in the Sens
Cathedral. 1t is only two meters
long and seventy-fve centimeters
vide, end vet it is considered
to be worth about two millions
of francs, or rather let us put it, like
the Venus de Milo, II can have no
price and would either have to be
stolen or be given away by the Govern
ment The centre panel represents the
VIRGIN with our Saviour in her arms;
in each side frame there are groups of
citizens in the dress of the period, the
fourteenth century. II is all wrought
IN silkcn thread Of six strings each,
and covered with gold embroidery, and
70 give some idea of the extreme
finish one Of the boWgSOis. one Of
these to the left, has just been shaved,
while behind him stand two men who
5,ibly boast heard of three days
orcyih. This valuable art-work is
kept in a glass case in the treasury Of
tlc Cathedral; 10y coming with some
one known in the locality, and giving
the usual fee, you can have the door
opened and PIT your head in for closer
examination, but touch me not, is the
password. and hands off. the law.
The Louvre Gallery, in the new sec
ton, is the great attraction of the mo-
mcnt, and, all told, the room and con-
tents are full of interest We begin by
ihe famous portruit of Corlier, 10y
Inqrcs, and next to it comes the arrival
Of the diligence in The narrow, coun-
try village street of Bodily. Here, too,
is the famous marriage of Napoleon rs
Hercules with Marie Louise rs Juno,
bv Pmdhomme. Helms distribution
Of medals in the Salon Of 1924 cen
only he considered on account OF the
portraits of the time. The eX-
quisite landscape of Chintreul, with
It's intricate undcrbrush, bright
green grassy foreground and blue sky,
with delicate vapid grayish clouds,
through which the suns rays seem just
about to flicker, ought to be the obligk
tory, Sunday first Of all, impressionit
disciples Next is the beautiful, clearly
cut profile of the daughter of Nine. de
Ccuhs by Flandrin. 4 goodpicture by
Michel, the suburbs of hlontmartre, is
interesting to amateurs, because the
works Of this artist queerly enough
seem to have accumulated; they
are available, and bring about
the prices of Rousseau. The taking
# Constantinoplc, by Dehcroiy, viii
always delight the lovers of his color
ing, while his many detractors will cayil
end wonder at the position of his horses
on the steps with only the horizon Of
sea behind. There is miserable spe-
Cimcn of Fromentin, which could easily
lie covered with gold, nevertheless; it
represents the hawk hunt in Algeria. I
The interesting historical painting
Of Horace Vernct, showing the
Place Clichy in 1915, with General
Money on horseback at the head
of his troops, Just where his equestrian
statue stands now, seems full OF life and
vigor, in fine contrast to much Of this
painters work. In the background
you see the sign of the Pcre Lathuille,
the restaurant famous even TO the pres
ent day, and always fiourishing through
the patronage Of the swells, nOtwith-
standing the neighborhood and dis
lance from the towns centres There
is a marvellous Daubigny, the grape |
gathering III Burgundy. The autumn
foliage is exquisite and the sky as deli |
cate and rs vapory as if done by a
fairys brush Here we find, foo, |
coming from the Luxembourg that IA
nous picture of Troyon, OF the farm,
which was scraped out, the present |
pond to the left being full of cattle
painted in over the original as it now
exists. Near by is poor specimen of
Aillet, the only one in the gallery,
however, and bought before the celeb
rity of the artist. 1t is the village
church at Greville it looks, too, even
worse next to the picturesque
Rousseau, the d" Marais dams les
Landes." Then comes the Colos-
scum Of Corot, given to the Louvre by
himself. The lovely Diaz, warm in its
with the distant view of snow
hills, bights mdely enough the we'll
known woman in pink frock and black
ACE veil of Regnault that requires no
such contrast to dim its faded coloring.
Another Rousseau, with wondrously
tinted sky, comes before the best Della
'roix known, in the estimation of anna
eurs, 1.-The Bark of Dante" The
lroyon, with its murky atmosphere and
he superb cattle troupe going to
laily labor, is seen 10 much bet
or advantage than it was in the Lux